General Surgical Clamps

Allis The jaws of this clamp run perpendicular to the handle of the clamp and they meet at a very narrow edge. This makes it useful for holding tissue edges rather gently. The severed edge of the lumen of the bowel might be held open with this clamp. It also holds a firm grip on tumors.

Allis Adair Another version of the Allis clamp is the Allis Adair. It looks and functions the same as a regular Allis except that the jaw is wider. It is most frequently used during anterior or posterior vaginal repairs.

Babcock This clamp has a delicate yet firm grip on tissues that can be torn easily. Bowel can be safely manipulated with this clamp and it should be available on all such cases. It may also safely grip a fallopian tube in GYN procedures.

Kelly Clamp This clamping instrument is fine tipped and comes in curved or straight versions. The curved Kelly will be used in almost every case. It is the clamp you will give the surgeon if asked for a hemostat. It may also be referred to as a snap. A straight Kelly is used during an appendectomy where a straight clamp is used along with a knife to cut the appendix away from the cecum. It is rarely used otherwise. The true Kelly has serrations along the distal half of its jaw. The Crile clamp is used interchangeably with the Kelly. It has serrations along the entire jaw. Either clamp may be used when asked for a Kelly, snap, or hemostat.

Kocher This stout clamp is most commonly used in its straight version. It could also come curved (rarely). It has a single tooth at its tip and is very useful in orthopedic procedures for manipulating bone. Never put it on the mayo stand for bowel cases because it will put a hole in the bowel if picked up accidentally.

Lahey Clamp This clamp’s three sharp teeth hold large masses of tissue with out slippage. Most commonly in breast procedures, orthopedic procedures, or on skin edges during abdominoplasty to hold up the thick heavy apron of skin while the surgeon dissects down to the muscle. They also hold a firm grip on the cervix during vaginal hysterectomies. Never use near bowel or large vessels. When this clamp is open, it might easily tear gloves.

Mosquito This small fine tipped clamping instrument is used in cases requiring delicate motions around small blood vessels such as thyroid procedures or plastic procedures.

Pean This clamping instrument is fairly heavy duty. It comes in 6”, 8”, and 10” versions. They are used in cases where large portions of tissue need to be clamped across. Cutting across the omentum during a bowel resection is an expected use. The stout jaws of the Pean make it the clamp of choice to hold kitners or the loop of a tail sponge.

Right Angle Clamp This clamp is fine tipped and used in deep holes on small blood vessels where visibility is difficult. The steep angle of the clamp allows the surgeon to see the tip of the clamp and the tissue it is holding.

Ring Clamp This clamp has an open ring on its tip making it useful for holding a raytec sponge folded in thirds and then half for use as a sponge stick. The sponge stick is used in deep holes for blunt dissection or blotting small amounts of blood. The sponge should be changed after each use.

Tonsil Clamp This long fine tipped clamp is used in deep narrow holes on small vessels. It is also the clamp used to hold a tie on a pass.

Tonsil Kelly Mosquito

Non-penetrating Towel Clamp Used in the same way a security clamp is. It holds cords and tubing on the drape during a case without putting a hole in the drape. The sterile field is maintained. It belongs to the miscellaneous group.

Penetrating Towel Clamp Used while draping to hold towels in place. They are not used on top drapes as they will puncture the material and break the sterile field. They belong to the miscellaneous category.

Security Clamp This miscellaneous instrument is used most often to secure cords or tubing to the drapes. It is non-penetrating so the sterile field remains intact. It will not tare or puncture the drapes.